Cap form feeding attachment for paper bottle capping machines



Jan. 11, 1938. l. F. MANDELL 2,104,931

CAP FORM FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1936 5 Sheets-Shet l emg l. F. MANDELL Jan. 11, 1938.

CAP FORM FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arran/V66.

I. F. MANDELL Jian.4 11, 1938.

CAP FORM FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINES Filed Jply 14, 193e 5 sheets-sheet :s

. Jan. 1l, 1938.

f.A F. MANDELL CAP FORM FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINES l 5 Sheets-sheet 4 Filed July 14, 1936 Jan- 11, 1938- l. F. MANDELI.

CAP FORM FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1936 I 5 SheeibS--Shefl 5 #TMm/@fa nrrafr/Vfi Patented Jan. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES allan PATENT -fl Irving F. Mandell, North Quincy, Mass., assigner to Reinforced Paper Bottle Corporation, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 14,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in cap form feeding attachments for paper bottle capping machines, and the object of the invention' is to devise means for successively feeding cap forms from a vertical stack of forms into a capping machine conveyor, means for preventing more than one form being fed at a time by holding the upper cap forms separated from the underlying forms, and means for automatically maintaining the top of the stack in a feeding position as the height of the stack decreases and to provide a stack holder in which the stack may be easily inserted and held rmly in position, and it consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a front View of the cap feeding mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side View thereof.

Fig. 3 is an elevational plan View of the same mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mechanism for automatically elevating the cap forms to their feeding position. v

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view taken on line 5--5 Fig. 1, showing the cap form retaining device and the position of the two blower agitators.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan sectional view taken on line 6-'6 Fig. l, showing the ratchet drive for elevating the cap forms.

Fig. '7 is a sectional View taken on line 'l-'l Fig. 1, showing the parts illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 Fig. 1 showing the details of the suction member and the mechanism for detecting the height of the cap forms contained in the magazine.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on line 9-9 Fig. 3, showing the means by which the suction member is operated and also the suction valve and its o-perating mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the suction valve employed by the suction feed mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line lI-II Fig. 10.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

With reference to Figs. l, 3, 5 and 8: The cap forms I are held in an open magazine which is comprised of two vertically disposed guide bars 2 and a swingable gate bar 3 which is provided with spiral springs 4 and is mounted on a vertical pivot bar 5 by hinges E having stop surfaces 5X pressed by the springs :i against the right hand bar 2. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the pivot bar 5 has an upward extension 5' to which is secured 1936, Serial N0. 90,575

rents from the blow tubes 'i4 and 'l5 to improve J the aerating of the top cap vforms of the pile.

The vertical guide bars 2 are secured to horizontal supporting bars 2| by L-shaped brackets 22 and the supporting bars 2l are in turn secured to a bar plate 23 which is secured to the bed plate 24 of the machine proper by a bracket 25 (see Fig. 2).

The vertical pivot bar 5 is rigidly secured at 2X to one of the vertical guide bars 2. Thus the cap forms contained within the confines of the vertical guide bars 2 are loosely held in a vertical stack against a rear bar 'l by the bar 3 resiliently held in place by the springs tl.

A feeding worm 8 is mounted in suitable bearings 9 and I@ and is provided with a bevel gear I I keyed thereto which meshes with another bevel gear I2 keyed to a shaft I3 mounted in a bearing I I 8. On the feeding worm 8 is removably mounted a cap form supporting device which comprises two worm engaging portions I4 and I5 which are hinged one to another at I8 and are provided with finger grip extension portions I'I and I8. The worm engaging portions i4 and I5 normally envelop and engage the feeding worm 8 and are held into engagement therewith by a spiral spring I9. A plate ZI! is riveted or otherwise secured to the member Ill and supports the cap forms in the magazine. By squeezing the nger grip extensions l'l and ES, the worm engaging portions I4 and l5 may be spread and readily disengaged from the feeding worm 8 to disengage the cap form supporter from the upper portion ofthe feed worm and permit its reengagement at a lower point beneath a new stack of cap forms to serve as a support therefor after the magazine is refilled.

A stack or pile of cap forms are thus held in the magazine and the top cap form normally assumes the position indicated by the uppermost dot dash line A in Fig. 2 for engagement by the pneumatic feed pad 2l hereinafter described. Should the level of the top cap form tend to fall below the lowermost dot dash line B in Fig. 2 so as to be beyond the influence of'the suction pad 21', means are provided which will automatically elevate the cap forms until they reach the level indicated by the uppermost dot dash line. This mechanism I will describe later.

I will now describe the means for picking off and transferring the cap forms.

26 is a suction pipe which has at one end a downwardly extending portion 2T which is provided with a perforated suction pad 2 and is secured in a coupling 28 at its opposite end. The coupling 28 connects the suction pipe 26 to a iiexible hose 29 which is in turn connected to a suction valve and thence to any suitable suction pump, such pump not being shown.

rThe coupling 28 is an integral part of the bracket 39 and is loose on the shaft 3| (see Figs. 3 and 9). 3| and integral with the bracket 28 and is connected to a link33 which is in turn connected to the bell crank cam arm 34 which is provided with a cam roller 35. The cam roller 35 is pressed against the surface of a plate cam 36 by a spring 35X. The cam plate is mounted upon a power shaft 3?. 'Ihe arm 34 is loosely mounted upon a shaft 38 mounted in the bracket 2,5. 'The shaft 38 is yoked to the shaft 3| by the tie link 3.3

which is fixed to the shafts 38 and 3|. At the opposite end of shaft 38`is xed a cam arm 46 which is provided with a roller 4|, such roller .resting against `the surface of the cam 42. A spring 43 (see Fig. 9) is attached at one end to theV tie link 39 and at its opposite end to a pin lwhich is secured to an extension bracket 44 of the plate 23 and serves to keep the ca-m roller 4| in contact with the ,periphery of the cam 42. Intermediately of the cam arm 4i) andthe tie link 39 is a bearing bracket 5| which is secured to the bed plate 24 of the machine proper and serves with the bracket 25 to support the shaft 38.

It will thus be seen from Figs; 3 and 9 that by the rotation of the power shaft 31, the-cam -42 will cause the suction pipe 2-6 to be reciprocated vertically by the shaft 33 and tie link 39 and is, at the same time, held in a vertical position by the arm 32. The cam 36 then operates reciprocating the suction pipe in a horizontal direction through the medium of the cam 35, the bell crank cam arm 34, link 33 and lever 32.

45 isa suction valve housing which is secured to the bed plate 24 of the machine proper and which houses a valve core 46 and is Vvprovided n with an intake port 4l and lan outlet port 48 (see Figs. 10 and 11). The valve core 45 is provided with a communication port 49 and two extensions of reduced diameter 50 and 5i which extend outwardly through opposite ends of the .valve housing 45. On the extension 59 is xed a latching member 52 which is adapted to be engaged by a pawl 52, said pawl 52 being fixed to a rock shaft 53. The rock shaft 53 is supported by a forked bracket 54 which is secured to the valve housing 45 as illustrated in Figs. 1,0 and l1 and manually operated by a hand lever 53X (see Fig. 2). The opposite ends of the rock shaft 53 are supported by any suitable brackets. To the extension 5| is fixed a lever 55 which is pivoted at its outer end to a block 56 which is slidably mounted on a connecting rod 51 and is restrained from any downward movement with relation to the connecting rod 5T by a fixed collar 58. Another fixed collar 59 is secured near the end of the connecting rod 57 and a compression spring 65 is disposed between the slidable block 56 and the fixed collar 59, thus consummating'a' yieldable connection between the valve operating Vlever 55 and the connecting rod 5l. The lower end of the connecting rod 5'! is pivoted to a bell crank cam arm 63 which is fulcrumed on the shaft 64 and carries acam roller 65 at its opposite end. The cam roller is held against the periphery A lever 32 is also loose on the shaft of a cam 66 by the'spring 6E) and is fixed to a drive shaft 6T, as clearly shown in Fig. 9.

The purpose of this particular mechanism is to provide means for shutting on" the suction, to stop the feeding of the cap forms when the machine is not in operation. When it is necessary to feed cap forms in the machine, the'pawl 52 is rocked to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 9 to disengage it from the latching member 62. With the pawl 52 in this position, rotation of the cam 33 will cause Vthe valve core 55 to be oscillated'bringing the communication port 49 in alignment with `the ports i? and 49 (see Figs. 9 and 11). Hence, suction is applied to the suction pad 21 and will draw a cap form up against said suction pad; The suction pipe 26 is then elevated 'and reciprocated forwardly by the aforedescribed mechanism relating to the cams 3G and 42 carrying the cap form with it and placing said cap form edgewise into'the bite of the two fi rollers 63 and 39 (see Fig. 2)Y by which itis carried into the 4conveyor 59X to a'position for printing. Y Y

When it is desirable not to, feedY cap forms, the pawl 52 is moved to the vfull line or'latching position as shown in Fig. 9. With Ythe pawl 52 in its latching position any valve action is blocked and the rotation of the cam S6 will cause the spring 69 to yield. In this manner no suction is imparted to the suction pad 2 and consequently no cap forms will be fed into the machine. Y

Means are provided to assure'thefeeding of one cap form at a4 time and such means will now be described.

In proximity to the tops of thel guide bars E are provided two leaf springs 19 and 'il which are bent (as shown in Fig. l) across the path taken by the cap form when it is sucked against the suction pad 2?. Two blowers i4 and 'i5 are provided in a position illustrated in Figs and 5 and at a point just below the leaf springs 'i9 and "Il, (see Figs. 3, 5 and 8). The blowers 'E4 and 'l5 serve as agitators which separate the cap forms. When a cap form is suction raised against the suction pad 2? all of the cap forms in the proximity of the blowers 14 and 15 are in a state of agitation and the top cap form will be snapped over the leaf springs 79 and 'ii and will be arrested against the suction pad 2. The cap form which is being raised will substantially reduce the suction eiecting the cap forms remaining in the magazine and the leaf springs 'i5 and 'il are of suicient strength to prohibit the feeding of any other cap form which, under the iniuence of escaping suction, may have the tendency to follow the cap form being fed.

The mechanism for automatically elevating the cap forms in the magazine when they fall below a predetermined level will now be described.V

When the cap forms are primarily Aplaced in the magazine, the cap form retaining device is placed in such a position on the feeding worm 8 as to locate the top form in a position approximating the uppermost dot dash line A shown in Fig. 2. When the machine is started the forms will be fed into the machine throughY the medium of the mechanism heretofore described. A sensing finger 16 (see Figs. l and 4) will follow the level of the cap forms under spring tension as the level of the cap forms lowers. The sensing finger I5 is fixed to a block 'il Vwhich is in turn xed to a shaft i8. The shaft 7B is journalled to a lug extension i9 of the bearing 9 and at its provided with a set screw 8| which coacts against the tail end 84X of a latch 84. 'I'he latch 84 is pivoted to a pin 85 which is mounted on a bracket extension 86 of the bearing 9. The bracket extension 86 is in turn supported by the plate 23 (see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5). At the opposite end of the latch 84 is a toothed portion 84X which is adapted to engage a recessed portion 81X in an operating bar 81. The operating bar 81 is slidably mounted in two brackets 88 and 89. The brackets 88 and 89 are secured to the plate 23 as clearly seen in Fig. 4. 90 is a substantially L- shaped bracket which is secured to the lowermost portion of the operating bar 81 and is provided, at its outer end, with a vertical groove I I5. A dog 9| is pivotally mounted on the outer extension of the bracket 90. A leaf spring 92 serves to keep the dog 9| in engagement with the ratchet 95 which is keyed to the shaft I3. A guide plate IIE slidable in the groove |I5 is xedat its cpposite end to a boss I I1 integral with the bearing I I8 in which the shaft I I3 is mounted.

A groove cam 96 (see Fig. 2) is provided with a cam roller 91 which is mounted on one end of a bell crank 98. The bell crank 98 is fulcrumed on a shaft 99 and is connected at its opposite end to a connecting rod |00. A roller I| is mounted on the operating bar 81 and is adapted to rest against a block |02 on the bell crank 98 under the influence of a spring |03 as clearly seen in Fig. 4. The connecting rod I 00 is slidably mounted at its uppermost extremity in a block |05 and is providedy with a fixed collar |05 and a compression spring |09, a similar arrangement to that described in connection with the suction valve mechanism except provision has been made for spring .tension adjustment by the application of the adjusting nuts |01. Pivotably mounted to the block |05 is an arm |08 which has the shaft 18 as its fixed pivot.

With the cap forms in their normal feeding position, that is to say, with the level of the top form intermediate of the two dot dash lines shown in Fig. 2, the sensing finger 86 will hold the lever 80 with a slight clearance to the latch 84 and thus the latch 84 will be held in engagement with the recessed portion of the operating bar 81. Consequently, when the groove cam 98 rotates the operating bar 81 will be unable to follow the movement of the bell crank 98 under the influence of the spring |03 and the spring |09 will yield in a manner similar to that of the suction valve mechanism.

However, should the level of the uppermost cap form drop below the Vlowermost dot dash line,

shown in Fig. 2, the sensing nger will drop and raise the lever 80 which will disengage the latch 84 from the recessed portion of the operating bar 81. This function releases the operating bar 81 and will permit it to move downwardly under the influence of the spring |03 when the bell crank 98 is actuated by the cam 96. The L- shaped bracket 90 will also move downwardly with the operating bar carrying the dog 9| over the teeth of the ratchet 95. As the cam 96 returns to its normal position the bell crank 98 will power drive the operating bar 91 upwardly to actuate the ratchet and turn the worm shaft 8 through the bevel gears I2 and I I. The worm shaft 8 will thus be rotated through the cap form sup-porting device and inasmuch as the cap form retaining device is held against rotation Ait will be elevated until the cap form level raises the sensing finger to cause the latch 84 to reengage the operating bar 81.

I will now briefly describe the operation of the device.

By the operation of the cam 42, arm 40 and the shaft 38, the tie link 39 is rocked downwardly in the direction of arrow (see Fig. 9) carrying the suction pad 21 into close proximity to the uppermost cap form of the stack separated from the rest of the stack and held against the spring ngers 10 by the air jets 14 and 15. The valve core 46 is turned to the open position admitting suction to the pad 21 thereby lifting the uppermost cap form into contact with the pad. The cam 42 then swings the tie link 39 upwardly in the opposite direction to arrow (see Fig. 9) lifting the suction pad 21' and the cap form engaged therewith upward past the ngers 1.0. The cam 36 through the arm 34, link 33 and arm 32 swings the suction pipe 25 forward carrying the cap form into the bite of the rollers S8 and B9. The valve core 48 is then turned to the closed position cutting off the suction from the pad 21' and releasing the cap form so that it is drawn into the rollers 68 and 69 as they rotate. 'Ihe suction pipe 25 is then swung back to its normal position.

As the cap forms are taken from the top of the stack, the stack, of course, decreases in height so that the top cap of the stack would sink out of the range of the suction pad. To overcome this, the stack is automatically raised by means operated by the sensing finger as it follows the top level of the stack downward.

The downward swing of the sensing finger 16 carries the lever 80 against the tail end 84 of the latch 84 swinging the latch out of engagement with the recesses 81X of the operating bar 81 which is then forced downward by the spring |03 carrying the roller I0| against the block |02 of the bell crank 98 which is continuously reciprocated by the cam 95. As the bell crank 98 swings down, the bar 8'! is lowered, the roller I0| following `down and thereby carrying the dog 9| idly over the teeth ratchet 95. On the upward swing of the bell crank 98, the roller |0I and bar 81 are lifted carrying the dog into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 95 to rotate the ratchet shaft I3 and feed screw 8 through bevel gears I and I2 to carry the stack upwardly and the uppermost cap form to the feeding position A. The sensing linger 15 being then engaged by the top of the stack is swung upwardly carrying the lever 80 away from the tail end 84 of the latch 84 which then engages the bar 81 to engage the recess 81X thereby stopping the operation of the bar 81 and the rotation of the feed screw through the dog 9| and ratchet 95 and the connecting gears II and l2.

Two cap supporting plates 20 and the means for detachably connecting them to the feed screw 8 may be employed so that as the feeding of one pile is nearly complete and the plate supporting it is near the top of the feed screw 8 another plate carrying a new .pile may be inserted beneath the old pile and the support of the old pile removed as the last cap form is fed leaving the top of the new pile in the feeding position thereby rendering the feed continuous.

What I claim as my invention is:-

l. A cap form feeding device comprising a magazine for holding a Vertical stack of cap forms, a perforated suction pad, a pivotally mounted suction tube leading thereto, means for lowering the pivotal mounting of the tube in a vertical plane to carry the tube downward and the pad into proximity to the uppermost cap form to draw the sameinto contact therewith and for then raising the tube and its mounting, means for swinging the pad bearing endof the tube forward to convey the cap form adhering thereto to a point of deposit, and means for temporarily cutting oif the suction from the tube to release the .cap form. v

2. A cap form feeding device comprising a magazine for holding avertical stack of capi forms having the top maintained at a constant level, a pivoted suction lifting means, means for reciprocating the suction lifting means towards the top of the stack to grip the uppermost cap form and away from the stack top to lift the gripped form, and means for gripping the cap form carried forward to draw it edgewisefrom the suction pad at the point of deposit.

3. A cap form feeding device comprising a magazine for holding'a vertical stack of cap forms, a rock shaft, a tie link secured thereto, a parallel shaft journalled in the opposite end of the tie link, arloracket` secured to one end of the parallel shaft, a suction pipe carried in a Vertical position in the bracket, a perforated suction pad to which the suction pipe leads, an arm secured to the'opposite end of the parallel shaft, means for rocking the shaft to swing the tie link, suction pipe and suction pad downwardly into Vposition to lift the cap form, and means for rocking the supplemental rock shaft, suction pipe and pad forwardly to carry the lifted form to the point of deposit.

4. A cap form feeding device comprising Ya magazine for holding a vertical stack of cap forms, a perforated suction pad, a'pipe for supplying suction to the pad, means for lowering the pad into proximity with the'face of the uppermost cap form of the stack to pick up the form by its suction and for then raising the pad, means for carrying the raised pad'forward with the lifted cap form, a valve in the suction pipe, a suitably driven shaft, a cam thereon, a cylindrical valve, a valve casing interposed in the length of the suction pipe, an arm secured to one end of the valve, a cam arm mounted to rock, a roller on the arm engaging the cam, a rod pivotecl to the arm, a block pivoted to the valve arm over which the aforesaid rod freely extends, a stop on the rod beneath the block, a stop on the rod above the block, and a compression spring between the upper stop and the block.

5. A cap form feeding device comprising a magazine for holding a vertical stack of cap forms, a perforated suction pad, a pipe for supplying suction to the pad, means for lowering the pad `into proximity with the face of the uppermost cap form of the stack to pick up the form by its suction and for then raising the pad, means fory carryingl the raised pad forward with the lifted cap form, a valve in the suction pipe, a suitably driven shaft, a cam thereon, a cylindrical valve, a valve casing interposed in the length of the suctionpipaan armsecured to one end of the valve, a cam arm, a rod connecting the cam arm to the valve arm, a latching member extending from the opposite end ofthe valve, a rock shaft journalled in bearings, a handle secured thereto, a latching pawl secured to the rock shaft and adaptedto be overthrown into and out of engagement with the latching member to lock the valve ina closed position, and means permitting the continued voperation of the cam arms and rod when the valve is locked stationary.

6. A cap form feeding devicev comprising a magazine for holding a vertical stack of cap formshaving the'top of the stack maintained at approximately constant level, a link pivotally mounted at one end, a vertical'suction tube pivotally mountedat its lower end on the free end of the link, means for reciprocating the link vertically, means for maintaining the vertical positionV of the suction tube Vdl'iring the swinging movementY of the link and for reciprocating the upper end vof the tube horizontally to carry the lifted cap form to the point for deposit.

l7. The combination with a pivoted suction pipe having a suction orifice at its end, of means for lowering the suction end adjacent to the top of a stack of cap forms to lift a` cap form, means for then swingingithe pipe forward on itsV pivot to carryv the lifted form to the point of deposit, a main suction pipe, a controlling valve therein, manually operated means for locking the valve in the closed position, cam mechanism for operating the valve, and a resiliently yieldable portion n such cam mechanism for permitting its continued operation when, the valve is manually locked closed.

8. A cap form feeding device comprising a magazine for holding a vertical stack of cap forms, having the top maintained at approximately constant level, Va vertical suction tube parallel to the height of the stack and pivotally mounted at its-.lower end and having its upper end formed to overhang and opposethe top of the stack, means-for reciprocating the suction tube longitudinally to lift the cap form, andrneans for swinging the suction tube forward at its upper end together with the lifted form.

IRVING F. MANDELL. 

